THE IEKIGATION AGE. 



109 



Annual Convention in New Orleans, La., April 10 to 13, 

 1912. 



Mr. Edmund T. Perkins of Chicago is First Vice- 

 President and acting President of the Congress. 



USELESS LAND MADE PRODUCTIVE. 



The reclamation of vast tracts of arid land in the West 

 and Southwest by means of irrigation as well the reclama- 

 tion by drainage of other vast tracts, swamp and over- 

 flowed land in other sections form one of the most in- 

 teresting epochs in the agricultural development of the 

 United States. 



Everyone is now more or less familiar with the mag- 

 nitude of these reclamation projects and knows, in a gene- 

 ral way that millions of acres of what was once useless 

 land are now fertile fields of almost unlimited productive- 

 ness. 



Few are aware, however, that on thousands of farms 

 in every section of the country there are comparatively 

 small tracts consisting of but a few acres, which be- 

 cause of their supposed uselessness, lie idle and unproduc- 

 tive year after year, the owners evidently taking it for 

 granted that it would be a waste of time and labor to 

 attempt to bring them under cultivation. But would such 

 efforts be a waste of time and labor? Many farmers 

 and land owners who have gone to work intelligently in 

 the reclamation of the hilly, arid or swampy areas of their 

 farms have found that it pays big dividends not only in 

 the increased productiveness of the land, but in increased 

 value of their farms as well. Such work is now simpli- 

 fied by means of a scientific instrument manufactured by 

 the Bostrom-Brady Manufacturing Co., of Atlanta, Ga. 



This instrument is called the Bostrom Improved Farm 

 Level. By means of it any farmer can quickly obtain the 

 exact "fall" required for any terracing, irrigating or drain- 

 ing work needed on his farm without the assistance of a 

 civil enginneer. Those who have used this extremely 

 practical instrument say that it soon pays for itself many 

 times over. The Bostrom-Brady firm has recently issued 

 a most valuable and interesting book called ''Soil Salva- 

 tion" a copy of which, together with full particulars of 

 their Farm Level., will be sent fr.ee to anyone interested 

 on request. 



CORRESPONDENCE 



VERY INTERESTING INFORMATION. 



The Editor, 



IRRIGATION AGE, 

 Chicago, 111. 



Dear Sir: I beg to enclose herewith copy of a pam- 

 phlet which I have prepared on the "Indirect Benefits of 

 Sugar Beet Culture," in which I have undertaken to show 

 the effect of sugar beet culture in increasing the yield of 

 all other 'crops, by reason of its general improvement of 

 the soil and the adoption scientific and intensive farming 

 methods which it requires. 



Due primarily to the introduction of sugar beet cul- 

 ture, Germany, during the past 25 years, has increased her 

 average yield of wheat, rye, barely oats and potatoes 13.8 

 bushels per acre, while during the same period the in- 

 crease in yield of the same crops in the United States 

 has been but 4.6 bushels per acre, the increase alone in 

 Germany exceeding our present total average yield of 

 these crops by 6.4 bushels per acre. 



If from our present acreage of these five crops, we 

 harvested as many bushels per acre as does Germany, it 

 would add $1,400,000,000 annually to our national wealth, 

 while if Germany secured only our average yield per acre, 

 her national wealth would be decreased $900,000,000 a 

 year. 



Possessing, as we do, the finest agricultural conditions 

 in the world, coupled with superior intelligence and 

 greater wealth in our agricultural communities, I feel that 

 the cause of this startling contrast is worthy of the most 

 careful consideration of all patriotic Americans, especial- 

 ly those engaged directly in agricultural pursuits, as well 

 as those who are indirectly interested in the subject. 



You are at liberty to use any or all the data con- 

 tained in the enclosed pamphlet. 



Very truly yours 



TRUMAN G. PALMER. 



Plow Without Losing 

 Didoes or Dead-Furrows. 



r "v'" *^~~~~ "^ ^^ ^-^^^^ j-i 



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 Best for Irrigated Lands, Sidehill Plowing, 

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 furr jws to drag down. 



Start on one side, plow back and forth, finishing up on the 

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You can follow right after the plow with han owing 

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You can throw the dirt all one way on a side hill 

 or plow irregular fields with no short "lands" to finish. 



Lasts as long as two plows. 

 Write for booklet free if you mention Irrigation Age 



John Deere Plow Co., - Moline, Illinois 



When writing to advertisers please mention The Irrigation Age. 



